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Opel CEO Karl-Thomas Neumann poses next to the Opel-Vauxhall Astra awarded 'Car of the year 2016' trophy, on the eve of the press day of the Geneva Motor Show on February 29, 2016 in Geneva. / AFP / FABRICE COFFRINI (Photo credit should read FABRICE COFFRINI/AFP/Getty Images)

GENEVA, Switzerland - Europe won the European Car of the Year award with its Opel-Vauxhall Astra family sedan, beating out contenders like the BMW 7 Series luxury limo and the Jaguar XE.

The announcement was made at the Palexpo exhibition centre here. Media previews for the annual car show start tomorrow, which opens to the public Thursday.

The Astra, which went on sale last year, competes in the most competitive European sector led by Volkswagen’s Golf and the Ford Focus.

Buyers of the new Astra can choose the personal connectivity and service assistant OnStar, and the new generation IntelliLink infotainment system that is compatible with ’s Android Auto and ’s CarPlay.

This seventh-generation Astra is produced at the Vauxhall Ellesmere Port factory in Cheshire, north-west England. Opel sells cars in mainland Europe, while Vauxhall sells the same ones with its badge in Britain.

The Astra offers gasoline and diesel engines ranging from 99 hp to 197 hp. Highlight of the range is a new 1.4-litre, 143 hp direct injection four-cylinder motor. The new Astra is slightly smaller and lower than the previous model, but has more room inside, according to the company. The car is significantly lighter too.

U.S. cars buyers will be familiar with OnStar. If an airbag deploys, OnStar is alerted automatically. An advisor will then contact the vehicle to determine whether help is required. If there is no response, emergency responders are immediately sent to the vehicle. OnStar also turns the new Astra into a mobile Wi-Fi hotspot. Up to seven devices, from smart-phones to tablets, can be connected simultaneously.